"Described as a Church or Christian Fellowship House, this place on 'C Street' in Washington D.C. also serves as a residence for numerous members of Congress. The members of this organization tagged as 'The Family' regard it as Refuge; a place to be able to, be their self, and get relief from the aggressive agendas of Washington, D.C. Evidently having been in existence for quite some time, outside of public knowledge, Secrecy seems to be a critical component of this organization. Strangely, it is also rumored that the Members believe that they are 'Chosen Ones' appointed by God to see over the rest of us peons or 'less than', people of the United States and maybe even the entire world."
This outfit originated the "National Prayer Breakfast:
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The breakfast, held in the Hilton’s International Ballroom, is attended by some 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries. The National Prayer Breakfast is hosted by members of the United States Congress and is organized on their behalf by The Fellowship Foundation, a conservative Christian organization more widely known as "The Family." Initially called the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, the name was changed in 1970 to the National Prayer Breakfast.
It is designed to be a forum for political, social and business leaders of the world to assemble together and build relationships which might not otherwise be possible. ("[T]he breakfast is regarded by the Family as merely a tool in a larger purpose: to recruit the powerful attendees into smaller, more frequent prayer meetings, where they can 'meet Jesus man to man.'"[2]) Since the inception of the National Prayer Breakfast, several U.S. states and cities and other countries have established their own annual prayer breakfast events.>>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N...nal_Prayer_Breakfast
Someone evidently told the President a somewhat different story about origins of this event:
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The leaders of the community did all that they could for those who were suffering in their midst. And then they decided to do something more: they prayed. It didn't matter what party or religious affiliation to which they belonged. They simply gathered one morning as brothers and sisters to share a meal and talk with God.>>>
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02...ext-prayer.html?_r=1
The difference between these accounts is explained here:
"Abraham Vereide [October 7, 1886 - May 16, 1969) was a Norwegian-born Methodist clergyman and founder of Goodwill Industries of Seattle. In 1935, Vereide founded the prayer breakfast movement in the United States. In 1942, Vereide established International Christian Leadership, incorporated as Fellowship Foundation, in Chicago as the middle United States headquarters for his prayer breakfast and prayer cell planting ministry. He was the executive director of this until his death. In 1953, Vereide started the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, which would become known as the National Prayer Breakfast."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Vereide (See first paragraph)
Vereide, of course, was the founder of the "Family," which became identified with what was originally called the "Presidential Prayer Breakfast" and later re-named the "National Prayer Breakfast." Vereide must have been about as ecumenical as they come, having been pastor of something called the "Norwegian Danish Methodist Lutheran Episcopal Church." Good Grief!! Did they leave out ANYTHING there?
I hope someone on the President's staff advises him of the relationship between the prayer breakfast event and these fundamentalist Mafiosi of C Street. Whoever wrote his speech for the 2009 event obscured the origins of the thing. This year's National Prayer breakfast is scheduled for February 4. Presumably the President will attend. Will he have anything to say about the origins of this event and,if so, will he recite anything like the incomplete and evasive version put before him last year?
Whoever wrote last year's speech needs a good wood-shedding.
